Mosquitoes in Indonesia

About a month before my trip I dutifully called the local health department’s travel nurse to make an appointment for whatever immunizations I might need. Turns out a month is not enough notice.

When I called, the travel nurse had gone off on vacation. Apparently they didn’t have anyone who could take up the slack. I get sent through an intricate set of referral numbers that all came right back to the empty desk. I didn’t think it was an emergency, so I waited until the travel nurse came back.

By the time I could get in to see her, it was only a couple of weeks until the trip. That was enough for a prescription for malaria pills, and a shot for typhoid, but not for dengue fever or anything else. I had to go to my regular doctor for something in case of diarrhea. The rest, I simply let slide.

I didn’t really have much choice. The rest require a series of shots over time. They also cost hundreds of dollars, and were not covered by my insurance.

They were also all carried by mosquitoes.

All right. So if I don’t get bit, I’ll be fine. Right?

I was nervous about it to put it mildly. I bug treated most of my long pants, three long sleeve shirts, and some socks. The treatment is good against ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas. Yippee! It holds up for six washings, too. What could be better?

I also brought along a large spray bottle of deep woods off, a small bottle of Skin So Soft, and a couple of citronella bracelets.

I ended up with a dozen bites, all in Jogjakarta. Most in our motel room.

It took me a while to figure out that there was a mosquito in the room. I’d been dangling my left leg of the bed as part of the program my physical therapist gave me. It was the left leg that got chewed up. But still, I didn’t believe it until one day I got in the shower and watched the little bugger fly past me.

There is nothing quite like beeing naked in front of a mosquito you can’t catch up with.

I was paranoid about them for the whole rest of the trip.